TOPPING IT UP

“If my mind can conceive it and my heart can believe it, I know I can achieve it”.  That is P L Valliapan’s message to the world.  And who exactly is this Valliapan?  Well, he is a student of Loyola College, who is attempting to break the record of Luuk Broos who constructed a 56-storey champagne fountain in Netherlands.  To break the record, he will build a champagne fountain of 60 storeys using 41, 664 champagne glasses and fill the glasses with champagne from the topmost glass.  The attempt is scheduled for some time later this year.

This physically-challenged student has been working to achieve this for more than eight years now.  It took him three years just to get the basic information, guidelines and approval from the Guinness Book of World Records.  “I am the first to take an iniative like this and in 1996 the Limca Book of Records was the first to record and create a new category for my entry”.

"Once, in college, a group of us were having tea in the canteen and we started playing with the cups and all of a sudden this idea came to me strongly - why not attempt a world record by making a pyramid arrangement of a large number of glasses?” Thus was born the spark to attempt such a record.  The basic concept of a pyramid being decided already, the only decision to be made was the type of glass to be used and the number of storeys to be built. (The record is based on the numberof storeys, the uniqueness of the record is the champagne being poured).

Speaking on the arrangement of the glasses, Valliapan said that the arrangement would follow a mathematical pattern, with the base being the most complex arrangement.  “It really pulls my life out. It has to be perfect, otherwise all my hardwork and pain will go to waste.  I have to stand continuously for three and a half hours just to arrange the storeys and it will probably take me two days to pour all the champagne, right from the top most glass.” 

Valliapan was forced to import the champagne glasses from the US, because local glasses were not symmetrical and were not of the desired quality.  Each glass, including duty, costs Rs.248/-.  For filling all the 60 storeys of glasses, 8,000 litres of champagne is needed, which in turn means 7,000 bottles of champagne.  Valliapan is planning on using Indian champagne to save on costs.  The event is estimated to cost Rs. 1 crore. 40% of the total cost is just for the glasses alone.

Speaking on the motivational influences that have shaped his effort, he says: “I always wanted to do something different. Being a physically-challenged person, I faced blocks at various stages in my life.  This only fuelled the desire in me to do something different and big.  I am grateful to Loyola College, which I would say gave me the motivation to carry on and also was my launchpad.  I am especially grateful to Fr. Ignacimuthu". 

Chennaibest wishes Vallipan the very best in his attempt!

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